Fred Is Dead (His Candidacy); Now What?
(Cryptic 1970s musical reference — “Freddie’s Dead” - Curtis Mayfield, early 1970s)
I was hoping I was wrong when I said so at the conclusion of the TIB radio extravaganza on Saturday night.
But alas, Fred Thompson has withdrawn, as I suspected he would when he came out and spoke to supporters not long after the polls closed in South Carolina.
Here’s the official statement (received via e-mail):
McLean, VA - Senator Fred Thompson today issued the following statement about his campaign for President:
“Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people.”
This is a mostly expected bitter pill, as we lose the guy who had it about 95% right, leaving The Three Stooges and Rudy:
- Unless you believe that constitutions are made to be trampled upon, Larry Mitt Romney is Objectively Unfit. If you aren’t familiar, please go to the link and read up on what Unfit Mitt did to keep a campaign promise to shred his state’s constitution and violate his oath of office.
- Curly Huckabee’s rampant and conflicted acceptance of hundreds of thousands in outside fees while governor (first item at this link) is a BizzyBlog Dealbreaker. There are probably other Dealbreakers, and it probably wouldn’t involve a lot of work to find them. That means Old Media will, when the time comes.
- Moe McCain? So far, I’m not buying enough of what he’s selling.
- Rudy (no, he’s not Shemp, yet)? Can he convince social conservatives to hold their noses, show up (Dennis Prager is advising that), and get out the vote?
Keep it up with Mitt Romney, Tom. Between 1) Completely entrenched positions like yours - which seem to be linked to a large extent to the gay marriage thing, 2) Rush Limbaugh and his gold standard, and 3) The David Brooks wing of the party … there is simply no viable GOP candidate that the party can collectively support.
Unforgiving intransigence has it’s price - and unless something changes drastically we will watch a Democrat - in all likelihood Hillary - take office next January and govern at the expense of conservative bickering. For anyone keeping score that’s two branches of government lost in four years - unless some miracle occurs. Might as well sit back and watch them federalize the American economy.
And it’s always somebody else’s fault - usually the media, but these days it’s our fellow Republicans - who fail to be just like us in every conceivable conservative way - and they are therefore the enemy.
Comment by Brendan — January 22, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
#1, Romney is unfit because he so blatantly violated the state’s constitution. That it was over SSM is almost incidental. And he made a campaign promise to violate the state’s constitution even before he was elected, and then did so with a vengeance. So who has he made promises to that he will break the US Constitution into pieces?
I didn’t come to the “Objectively Unfit” conclusion without a great deal of reluctance. But it’s there, and I won’t ignore it. Again, if constitutions are to mean anything, the case against his candidacy is inarguable.
In case you didn’t notice, there are still two candidates who at least pass the stench test. It’s too early for the smell test.
Comment by TBlumer — January 22, 2008 @ 4:06 pm
#2, I’m with you on that analysis. IMO, my choices are Rudy and John, if I’m forced to pick it will be Rudy. McCain has betrayed the Repub Party multiple times in his so called maverick behavior and so I don’t trust him. Rudy, IMO is the most honest of the 4 liberals on the Repub side there is to choose from. At least he doesn’t spin the fact he was for abortion, I can agree to dissagree over that issue with Rudy based on his stated commitment to appoint only conservative judges. If Rudy is man enough not to spin the abortion issue, then he is man enough to stand by his word about appointing judges who won’t legislate from the bench.
At the end of the day all we have to go on is their track record and their word. Romney keeps his word to liberals but not conservatives. I don’t trust Romney or McCain. Rudy keeps his word to conservatives even though he is liberal. I see Liebermann and Rudy in the same vein, they’re both straightforward about their positions, which I respect even though I disagree with them on some of their positions.
Comment by dscott — January 22, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
…and I didn’t even get to make any “Right Said Fred” jokes!
Comment by Eric — January 22, 2008 @ 5:15 pm
Curis Mayfield fan? Who knew? I always like the Fishbone cover.
Comment by Eric — January 22, 2008 @ 5:18 pm
It is indeed a sad development. Primary voters in South Carolina, New Hampshire, etc have picked Hillary by not choosing the only conservative in the race with a chance. The remaining candidates have too many shortcomings to survive a general election against the Clinton machine. I hope I’m wrong but I expect we are not going to enjoy November (or the four years that follow).
Comment by largebill — January 22, 2008 @ 8:09 pm